Any Highway In the Sky: Repost
by C V Ford
Summary: Two "flyin' fools" are inadvertently transported to the Special Region. For one, business and opportunity. For the other, adventure and romance. For both it's: Any Highway In the Sky.
1. Chapter 1

Any Highway In the Sky

by

C V Ford

xxxxx

Specifications, Douglas DC-3/C-47B-DK (Courtesy McDonnell Douglas Aircraft):

General characteristics:

Crew: four (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio operator)

Capacity: 28 troops or

Payload: 6,000 lb (2,700 kg)

Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m)

Wingspan: 95 ft 6 in (29.41 m)

Height: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)

Wing area: 987 ft2 (91.70 m2)

Airfoil: NACA2215 / NACA2206

Empty weight: 18,135 lb (8,226 kg)

Loaded weight: 26,000 lb (11,793 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 31,000 lb (14,061 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each

Performance:

Maximum speed: 224 mph (195 kn, 360 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)

Cruise speed: 160 mph (139 kn, 257 km/h)

Range: 1,600 mi (1,391 nmi, 2,575 km)

Ferry range: 3,600 mi (3,130 nmi, 5,795 km)

Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,045 m)

Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 9.5 min

"Colloquial" designations:

Dakota

Gooneybird

Skytrain

Spooky

Tabby

xxxxx

Chapter 1: Creared For Randing

Location: Aboard Buffalo Airfreight C47 #3 NC202LY, 50 miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska.

"Port ... starboard ... No matter where we turn this plane that ... THING ... shifts right with us.

"Any luck with the radio?"

"Negative!"

The younger co-pilot looked up from the C-47s' panel. Jack Nakamura expressed exasperation in his vain attempts to raise Anchorage control tower. The heavy static disturbance caused by the anomaly the last couple minutes proved insurmountable.

"Damn thing keeps tracking ... moving with us, I'm not even gonna' try flying over it. We're turning this crate around ... head back to Juneau. Make another try for contact."

Calvin "Cal" Hobbes, senior pilot for Buffalo Airfreight put the twin engine craft in a steep bank doing a complete 180 from the the fast approaching anomaly.

"Anchorage control, Anchorage control. This is Buffalo Airfrieght C-47 number 3, NC202LY. We are for the lack of a better term, being pursued by a UFO that appears as a counter clock wise spinning vortex. Canceling scheduled course and returning to Juneau. I say again ...

"We cannot receive due to heavy static emissions repeat ... Can NOT receive due to heavy radio interference from what we think is the anomaly. Am switching from HF to 118.300, repeat ... "

Nakamura felt the vibrations in his seat as Hobbes pushed the twin Pratt and Whitneys to their limit in an attempt to outrun.

xxxxx

Location: Anchorage International Airport control tower, Anchorage, Alaska.

"We receive just fine sir. Their being closer to the source of the interference must be preventing them from hearing us."

"When he pauses for answer, try again," the chief traffic controller replied. "Has air/sea rescue been alerted?"

"Yes." An assistant answered. "Scrambling as we speak."

"Still getting a fix?"

"Negative ... ," radar op in answer. " ... Both blips just merged."

xxxxx

"Damn! ... Got us!"

Both pilots gazed out the windshield at the dark, stygian ... NOTHING. It was like looking at a flat 2d screen.

Feeling the machine mounting into a climb, Nakamura glanced questioningly at his immediate superior.

"It's a big sky but I'm gonna' make it bigger. Most instruments gone haywire ... altimeters' definitely out. Can feel gravity so I'm going on that. No indication any other craft in the immediate area before we ran into this thing. We're over water so we haven't reached the mountains yet ... so I'm taking a chance.

"Not gonna' have what happened to those guys at Chickens Shoals happen to us ... " (1)

xxxxx

The chief controller looked up from the phone as the rush of heavy static abruptly ceased.

"Sir! The anomaly ... along with the plane ... gone!"

"Clarify."

"It's not on the screen ... One moment there, the next-"

"Notify air/sea. Give the coordinates. We may have a crash on our hands."

Almost ... but not in this world.

xxxxx

"HO-LY SH-!"

Jack felt his back slam into his seat as both he and Hobbes simultaneously pulled sharply further back on the yokes and shoved throttles forward, sending the plane into an even steeper, faster climb. But a moment before, the black "nothing" disappeared, like a screen coming instantly on, revealing the world again ... in the form of the top of a craggy ridge seemingly mere feet away.

Now seeing nothing but sky, they cautiously leveled the plane, throttling back. More ridges ahead but with more than ample warning this time, the craft in a steady climb.

"Feel that?" Hobbes asked.

"Yeah! Like we scraped bottom!"

"Go back and check. See everything's secure."

"Right!"

The younger got up to leave.

"Any holes ... Don't fall out."

"Got it!"

Jack was soon back.

"Everything's fine. No apparent damage but that's the inside. Cargo's still secured." Jack glanced out the windshield. "Any other little surprises?"

"No problem clearing the rest. Damn! ... Altimeter's back working but now reads over five grand LESS than we had before! I coulda' sworn we were climbing."

"Me too. I KNOW we were. And we were over water!"

"Now that our heart rates are more or less normal, let's get a fix on where we're at."

Re-seating himself the younger joined the older in scanning the mountainous panorama beyond the plexiglass.

"NONE ... of this looks familiar. Hell ... Where's the Gulf!? See if you can raise Anchorage control."

"Got it, " the younger replied donning the phones. "Gonna' switch back to HF."

xxxxx

Location: Fort Alnus Hill airfield control tower. Alnus Hill, Japan Special Region.

"Ma'am," the radar operator turned toward the senior controller. "That anomaly on heading one nine five ... the one that disappeared a minute ago ... "

"It's back?"

"Negative," turning back to the screen. "Same bearing and range, much smaller this time. Registers as a definite aircraft."

"Let's take a look." The young officer stepped up next to the seated operator.

"Definitely not what was there a few minutes ago," she surmised. "Notify 'God' and 'Baron'. They should be on top of it in a few minutes."

"Ma'am."

The senior controller turned in the direction of the communications tech at the panels' other end.

"Scanners picking up traffic on 15.060 megs."

"That's a frequency on the HF civilian aeronautical band ... Used back in our world!"

"Yes ma'am, it is."

"Patch it on speakers."

"-I say again, Anchorage control. This is Buffalo Airfreight C-47 number 3, NC202LY. November, Canada, two, zero, two, lima, yankee ... Our last known position - . Can NOT get proper bearing on you. Can you copy?"

"English!?" The thought on everyones' mind.

"NC? The SC addressing no one in particular. "That's an American civilian registry prefix."

"Anchorage Control ... Alaska?"

The SC looked at the comm officer.

"Buffalo Airfreight ... C-47? ... whatever it is-," she turned to another comm tech. "Inform General Hazama. We now know this to be an actual aircraft ... Possibly of U.S. origin ... And inform base security. If we get that plane here, the general's going to want to a 'reception committee' to greet them."

Picking up one of the comm mics she instructed, "put me through to that plane." (2)

xxxxx

"Any luck?" Asked Hobbes now putting on his own phones.

"Negative. Radios check out ... so does GPS but registers blank. Not receiving on any freq. Can't even get Anchorages' LF beacon."

"Try the beacon freqs for-"

"Buffaro Airfreight number 3, NC202erY ... Zhis is Fort Arnus Contror. Prease respond ... repeat ... Buffaro Airfreight number 3, NC202erY ... Zhis is Fort Arnus contror tower. Respond and re-identify yourserf."

The two pilots looked at each other in disbelief.

"Engrish?"

"Fort Ar ... Alnus?" Nakamura more than skeptical. "This some kinda' joke?"

"I say again ... Buffaro Airfreight number 3 NC202erY ... RESPOND AND RE-IDENTIFY."

"Sounds like she means business. Better answer."

About to speak, Jack was brought up sharply by Hobbes.

"Wait!"

Nakamura looked up from the mic, quizzical look on his face.

"English only. Don't try to be 'friendly' in trying out your Japanese on her. We don't know what we're in for. Let's not tip our hand."

"Gotcha'!"

"For all we know ... someone ... for some weird reason or whatever ... might be trying to put one over on us. There's ... NO way ... we could be in the Special Region."

Something inside both said different.

"Buffaro Airfreight number 3, NC202erY ... RESPOND IMMEDIATRY!"

"Most insistant that babe!"

"Uh ... Fort Alnus control tower, this is Buffalo Airfreight flight 3, NC202LY. We read you five by five. Can you copy?"

"We copy ... Turn on heading 015 ... repeat ... ZHERO ... ONE ... FIVE."

Looking up from the panel, Jack looked questioningly over at Cal. Nodding, the chief pilot banked the transport onto instructed heading.

"That's an affirm. Turning on 015 as we speak."

"Maintain present speed and artitude ... Stay ON zhis heading ... Do NOT dephiate."

"A head's a head," exclaimed Cal. "Better than nothing."

"I'm gonna' try something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Jack went on as he tuned the low frequency receiver, "If this really is Fort Alnus Hill we're talking to ... If we really are in the Special Region ... Then their LF aero-beacon should be on 414 kilohertz ... HERE!"

The slow morse repeats of letters ALN came in loud and clear to both, radio-directional gauge on the nose.

"Remember reading that in the Below 500 column in Monitoring Times online," Jack beamed. (3)

"Here's something else affirming it," replied Cal indicating with his nose to the planes' port side.

"Oh SH-!"

Leathery wings leisurely flapping, keeping up with the plane, the large green reptile scanned the twin engine craft.

"Doesn't seem hostile. Just checking us out," the junior pilot speculated hopefully.

"I read in National Geo they can get pretty territorial. It may be only half the size of this crate but you'd better call this in. Don't wanna' end up dead from getting humped by Rhodan."

"Worried about getting a greeting from Saint Pete?"

"With my luck it'd be Rod Serling ... and more appropriate." (4)

"Alnus Control, this is Buffalo Airfreight NC202LY ... We are being shadowed by a large ... uh ... dragon? ... Request possible assistance."

"Buffaro Airfreight ... We are arready on it."

"Sucker just left ... veered off."

Looking out port and starboard, both pilots could see why.

xxxxx

Port:

"Alnus Control ... It's an affirm. Aircraft appears to be Douglas C-47 twin engine cargo transport. Aluminum finish, Buffalo Airfreight imposed over red art deco striping on fuselage with winged buffalo artwork on stabilizer. No apparent armament to be seen so it's not a Spooky." (5)

Starboard:

"Alnus Control ... Confirmed. Civilian registration numbers on starboard wing, NC202LY matches their previous ID."

xxxxx

"Yup, old F4 Phantom 2s," Jack observed. "Just like the military magazines said. McDonnell Douglas design but these particular ones built by Mitsubishi."

"Makers of the Zero fighter and other fine World War 2 era products."

xxxxx

Location: T junction on the parallel road outside the Fort Alnus Airfield perimeter fence, northwest corner.

"Well Captain, I've really no idea what Lagann is about. What little I've seen, less than one episode, I didn't much care for ... I will say though ... Yoko is one FABULOUS character design ... Got a slew of her art on my hard drive."

_Probably hentai ... Oh GOD! Why ... why-_

The young lady sat slumped in the back of the Humvee wanting to be somewhere else.

_It's not fair ... not right. I shouldn't even have come on this ride with these two. Sure ... the vehicle needed a test drive after repair ... didn't need to go along. WHAT ... WAS ... I ... THINK ... ING! It's not like I had to go ... Was I THAT bored?_

_It's bad enough I babysit these guys on missions. Do I have to hang out with them? I mean it's not that I have anything better to do ... Which I DON'T ... DAMNIT! There has to be someone better to hang with than these two sketchy ... OTAKUS! ... And one of them's my commanding officer!_

_I don't get it! ... I JUST DON'T GET ... IT! ... Itami's a committed ... HELL! ... DED-I-CATED ... slacker and anime geek ... A freakin' OTAKU! ... Yeah ... Have to admit ... He's good on mission ... too damn good ... But other than that ..._

_Circumstances ... Circumstances got him where he is. I work my ass off and he just 'Forrest Gumps' his way through! IT'S NOT FAIR!_

_Takeo's no help either. Hell ... He's even more an otaku than Itami!_

_And they both treat me like one of the guys. ... Half the men on base treat me the same way. I mean ... yeah ... I should be grateful for that but- ... I'm a woman ... and ... and ... why ... Why are the other half the guys on base act like they're scared to death of me? I say hi and they get nervous and ... and ... DAMNIT!_

"Well sergeant, Lagann takes some-," Itami in reply to Takeos' remark then noticing something off in the distance, " ... Hey! What's this?"

Kuribayashi snapped out of her negative muse, following the gaze of the other two.

"Looks like security detail," answered Takeo noting the two humvees with a hovering Cobra gunship pulling up at runways' end and turning. "As if they're going to flank something about to land."

"Off that way!" Shino pointing off to the west.

"Yeah," Youji acknowledged. "Jets and another Cobra escorting something in."

"Doesn't look like a C-130, too small ... it's- ... What th-!"

Two more Humvees and an LAV on the parallel road sped past, heading for the fields' main gate further east.

"The first hummer, that was the generals' vehicle!"

"With Yanagida driving. Guess they didn't have time to grab an aide."

"Think this has anything to do with-"

All three took notice as the two aforementioned vehicles on the runway started to move, accompanying chopper turning in that direction.

xxxxx

"Alnus Control, we are on approach."

"Arnus Contror to NC202erY ... You are creared for randing".

xxxxx

"Unbelievable!" Takeo exclaimed. "Look what's coming in!"

With jets staying low overhead trying to keep from stalling out, the "ancient" aircraft came in low, landing gear out for touch down.

"A Douglas C-47!?" Enthused grin on the captains' face. "Last ones were made in 1946. Airframe's gotta' be over seventy years old!"

"In civilians colors?" Questioned Takeo. "And looks kinda' American."

"Looks ... IS!"

"How ... could an American plane get here?" Shino puzzled at the two 'geeks' enthusiasm. "Wouldn't anyone notice it being transported through the Gate? It would have to have been partly disassembled too."

"MOVE IT!" Itami ordered.

Wheels spinning, the Humvee turned onto the perimeter fence road in parallel pursuit of the three staff vehicles keeping pace with the plane, landing gear rubber barking its' protest on hitting the tarmac.

"Buffalo ... Airfreight? ... commercial?" Kuribayashi now more than curious.

This originally dull afternoon now shaping up into something more interesting than introspective griping.

"You don't think the Americans would have access to another Gate, do you?" Takeo queried.

"If they did, they wouldn't be sending an independent commercial plane and an old one at that," the Captain speculated. "No ... If they had a gate they'd come in making as big an impression they could ... Lotsa' planes, not to mention other military goodies, with 'flags flying and bands playing' so to speak.

"Like you said Shino ... Either our people ... or somebody ... somehow snuck it through our gate for whatever reason ... or this is some kind of really fantastic accident!"

"After over a year here, NOTHING should surprise us."

xxxxx

Hobbes and Nakamura noted the other aircraft still aloft and the flanking vehicles.

"I gotta' feeling they don't trust us," exclaimed Jack in sarcastic, mock indignation.

"Ya' think?" Hobbes with wry half grin.

Grabbing the clipboarded manifest and other papers Hobbes continued.

"Taxi this in. I'm gonna' do a check and get our papers in order. No doubt they're gonna' be really curious about how we got here ... So am I!"

"You 'n me both!"

Cal shuffled papers as Jack took over taxiing duties. With a third Humvee in front sporting a bi-lingual "FOLLOW ME" sign, the co-pilot maneuvered the plane in accordance with the escorting vehicles movements to a farther parallel runway and diagonally opposite the bases' hanger area where the flying units were berthed.

"Where'd that antique come from?" A tech asked watching it in the distance.

"And what's with the security?"

"You kidding!? Somebody's got planes here other than us!"

"Can't be the Empire-"

"No way! Can't y' see it's from the other side of the gate?"

xxxxx

General Hazamas' hummer stopped some distance from the now idling plane, the other two joining the three already surrounding. Takeo pulled up next to the generals'.

Yanagida was about to protest but a glance from Hazama assured one and all he didn't mind the extra three as backup. Getting out, Kuribayashi with her rifle at the ready, Itami and Takeo checking theirs.

"Looks kind of beat up," Takeo surmised.

"Yeah, but listen to those engines," Itami in reply. "Notice the fittings and control surfaces. This bird recently went through a rebuild."

"I like the nose art," the sargeant chuckled.

"Hmmph!" Shino hmmphed. "Sexist."

Under the pilots' window, the classic Sailor Moon symbol: A "rampant" Usagi Tsukino silhouette over crescent moon and stars ... nude version. Lettered beneath: Moon Mistress.

xxxxx

Power to the engines cut, the props broke their steady rhythm coming to a complete stop.

"Well Sundance," Jack peered out the plexiglass at the hostile looking gunship hovering in front, rotary cannon at the ready, "looks like they got us surrounded. We shoot our way out?"

Hobbes turned to his co-pilot.

"Yeah ... RIGHT!" The pilot grinned tossing over a white cleaning rag.

"Remember now ... English. Until we know where we stand. Just follow my lead."

"Gotcha'."

xxxxx

The integral passenger door opening, airfield security massed about as a hand holding a white cloth was followed by a tall figure.

"Oh!" Shino exclaimed on seeing Nakamura stepping out and down. "They're Japanese!"

Her exclamation corrected as the slightly shorter but just as powerfully built figure of Hobbes emerged after.

"Huh?"

"Not all Americans are of European descent, corporal," The captain explained.

"Kind of like here," added Takeo.

"What makes you think they're American?" Yanagida striding up with the general to the three.

"What else could it be?" Answered Itami. "I mean, look at it. Couldn't be anything but. As to how it got here ... "

"Good question," General Hazama cut in, "which should be answered soon."

The three joined the other two in looking out over the scene of the two foreigners being searched and frisked. Shino even more intently at the taller of the two.

_Wow! ... , _she more than thought. _... He's a ... BABE!_

"Look at the military cap the older guy's wearing," noted Takeo on observing Hobbes' worn looking 'fifty mission crush' in contrast to Nakamuras' Padres ball cap. (6)

"Yeah," acknowledged Youji. "Looks like their Air Force. Judging by the 'scrambled egg' braiding on the caps' bill, I'd say he was at least a major."

"Think this might be a U.S. infiltration of some kind after all?"

"Doubt it. Probably an ex-serviceman now working civilian."

xxxxx

Looking back ...

Frisking done, Jack backed away from the plane and turned.

_Woah! _Exclaiming to himself. _What she think SHE's looking at!?_

Tall twenty-something pilot and petite yet muscular soldier exchanged intensive stares across a twenty yard expanse.

Jack felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon gorgeous," interrupted a grinning Cal, "we got things to iron out."

Going to and climbing into the Base Security LAV, Jack when not looking back and noting the young lady watching, could feel her gaze heating up the back of his head and neck.

As the vehicle pulled away, they again exchanged long looks. His inquisitive ... hers ...

HUNGRY.

_That is one SCARY looking babe!_

xxxxx

With two guards standing just beyond the door, four more, one in each corner, kept a wary eye(s) on the two gaijin seated across the table from the pair of interrogators. The captain opened first.

"Mr. Hobbes, Mr. Nakamura," she began. " ... I don't zhink I have to impress upon you the seriousness of your situation. You have trespassed on a miritary reservation of his Imperiar Majestys' gophernment. How you present the answers to our questions and the truzhfurness zhereof will effect the conditions of your confinement untir such time of your rerease.

"Do you understand?"

Both men looked at each other but a moment. Nakamura noted the wink from Hobbes. This was it ...

"What ... she ... say?" Cal asked in exaggerated pidgin Japanese.

"She say," Jack taking his cue, "We best answer questions best we can or divine rage of a thousand searing suns descend upon our unworthy posteriors ... Chop! Chop!"

The stony silence, lasting but a few seconds was broken by Hobbes.

"Forgive us ma'am," he apologizing in better Japanese. "Joking is a way we have in coping with ... uh ... situations. At times we find it eases tension. We can see in this case it does not. Again, sorry if we offended."

"We already know," the captain, also in Japanese and with slightly clenched teeth, referring to the preliminary inquiries made about the two, "you are both fluent in our language. We can continue in Japanese if you prefer."

She could almost feel, if not hear, General Hazama laughing on the other side of the one way mirror.

_Chop, chop indeed ... Comedians!_

xxxxx

Turning from the one way glass and chuckling to himself, the general took the proffered sheets from Yanagida and examined them.

"Yes ... ," softly exclaiming to his aide. "This pretty much clinches it. Considering their cargo ... these two and their aircraft ... If things work out ... and I think they will ... couldn't have come at a better time."

"Then we go ahead with this part of the project on this end?"

"Lay the groundwork but don't proceed further until approval from Defense Ministry.

"Also ..."

"Yes sir?" Yanagida attentive.

"See to it the heads of the appropriate departments here get tentative word of this. I want them ready to go on this if and when approval comes through. This includes down the line to the leaders of the recon teams."

"Consider it done sir."

"Good man! Make it happen."

"On it!" The aide replied leaving.

"Oh! And Yanagida?"

"Yes sir?"

"We'll be starting out this part of the project ... slowly ... in conjunction with Recon Team 3 and Itamis' resource survey unit ... As they both happen to be on base at the moment for refit and repair ... be sure to impress upon the captain the importance of this."

xxxxx

Yanagida strode down the corridor from the conference room/interrogation facilities and stepped out the front into the sunlight.

A single word ... a name ... now in the forefront of his mind.

Muttering to himself, he spat it out involuntarily.

"I-tami!"

xxxxx

Time: Forty eight hours later.

Location: Yanagidas' desk, administration center, outer office to that of General Hazamas'.

"Well gentlemen," Yanagida shuffling the corresponding papers on his desk, "it seems all has been straightened out with you both."

"Just glad it's over with captain," replied Hobbes. "For a while there we thought we were in for a permanent stay in the pen."

"Everything checks out with both your stories. Your government and its' Federal Aviation Administration along with your Coast Guard and the two airports confirm ... All corroborate your story of how you came to arrive here ... That and at the very moment you disappeared there you appeared here. You've gotten rather famous too."

"Oh?"

"A couple of foreign military observers were at the airfield when your plane came in. Word was going to get out sooner or later anyway. Your names and faces have been all over the news the past couple days."

"Thanks for letting me put in a call to my parents."

Yanagida turned to Nakamura.

"Yes, they were quite concerned about you. Heard about the incident through channels of their own before we could inform them ourselves ... Just how long have they been employed in your diplomatic service?"

"Almost ten years, Translations and Protocol. I attended Waseda the first few years they were at the embassy."

"Then you are of course quite familiar with Tokyo."

"Yeah ... ," the younger pilot paused. "Come to think of it ... They're probably not more than a few miles from here."

"Give or take an extra parallel dimension or two," interrupted Hobbes. "Uh ... Captain? Are we to be released any time soon ... Preferably sooner?"

"About that Mr. Hobbes-"

"Oh?"

"-your plane."

"Oh I understand," Cal said. "You're no doubt impounding it. You could disassemble and get it through the gate and all but the hassle would-"

"Actually, we bought it."

"Bought ... it?"

"Yes ... and the cargo."

"Well ... It's such an old crate ... Can't see what you'd want with it and-"

"Actually we have a use for it."

"?"

"You being an experienced pilot and all ... Your familiarity with the C-47-"

"Familiarity?" Cal cocked an eyebrow.

_Just where ... is this ... going?_

Nakamura noticed the initiated "give and take" the conversation took on.

"As we both know, the C-47 is a very versatile aircraft. Even though the last ones were made in 1946, no one has actually manufactured a replacement for it in reasonable quantity. It has the right flight range to payload ratio where most everything else is either too big or too small for many such intermediate jobs. You being a veteran of your Air Force, know how costly it can be for a C-130 to be used for such tasks.

"This is why so many have been rebuilt and put back in the sky for all the years they've been in service. And is why we bought the plane-"

"Oh but of course. Yes you can definitely put such a plane to good use. What I'm getting at is about our release and-"

"-with the cargo-"

"As we said, we were carrying those two engines to our shops at Anchorage International for the rebuilding of another plane and-"

"-one third of our program for getting three C-47s is virtually complete."

"Program?"

"Yes. And now we can scale our budget down to two. Your Hobart-san liked our offer while we saved a goodly sum in turn. Both sides came away from the deal quite happy."

"And for that sir, I too am quite happy. But what I'm getting at-"

"So ... We have one perfectly good and, I might add, recently rebuilt military cargo plane."

"Well I'm sure-"

"Along with spare engines, some parts and tooling-"

"A definite plus, I'm sure. Now what I was saying-"

"AND TWO HIGHLY QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED PILOTS TO OPERATE IT."

"And I'm sure that whoever you've got as pilots will serve you to the best of their abilities. Now-"

"Uh ... Cal?" Jack in interrupt.

"I mean, I'm gonna miss that old bird and-"

"Cal?"

"Shut up, Ja-a-ack!" Cal in slight sing-song.

"I think he means us."

"Damn it Jack!" Hobbes hissed through semi-clenched teeth and mock irritation. "I'm in denial here. Help me out, will ya'? This IS just a bad dream or hallucination I'm having, right?"

"Check your feet Cal. Those flight boots you're wearing aren't ruby slippers."

"But," sighing in faux resignation, hands out, "there's no place like home." (7)

"Gentlemen," Yanagida re-entering puzzled, " ... I don't know anything about ... ruby slippers? ... but you're not imagining this. Your new home is quarters here on base."

"Hobart ... He sold us out, didn't he?"

"If what you mean by that is your contracts were bought up ... ," picking up two folders from the desk, the generals' aide handed them over, " ... then yes. The papers have been redrawn. Check out the summary sheet to your respective copies. You'll find the terms to be quite generous."

"Sigh ..."

"As from here on out, you are now both civilian contractors flying under the auspices of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force, subject to direct orders of Alnus Command." Yanagida informed then turned to a door opening to his left.

"Speaking of which ... "

The two newly acquired pilots rose from their seats along with the captain.

"Are you getting our two new fliers squared away Mr. Yanagida?" Asked General Hazama leaving his office.

"Yes sir! Have just informed them of their new situation and we're about to go into the paperwork and briefings."

"Excellent!"

The general approached the two and proceeded with a bout of vigorous hand shaking.

"Welcome to Fort Alnus Hill and the Special Region! It may take some getting used too but from what I've read of your records, you should both get into protocol and the swing of things in no time at all."

"Yes sir," replied Hobbes in faux resignation, "it certainly seems that way."

"So colonel," Hazama addressed the older pilot with his old U.S. Air Force ranking. "I understand you were based at Yokota for awhile."

"That was where they put me after Gulf War Two before I mustered out. Flew C-130s for the 36th."

"So if we need a 130 pilot, you could do so in a pinch?"

"I'll need to restudy and get checked out on those first. Been quite some time since I flew any of those and a lot has changed with them in the interim. Been mostly flying C-47s and 54s for some remote area cargo lines since then."

"Though your 47 is your primary machine, you'll have plenty of time to get re-acquainted with the 130.

"And you young man," the general turned to Nakamura. "Three years ago, fresh out of airline training and you head directly to cargo carriers in Canada and Alaska ... Why?"

"Anyone can babysit passengers ... And I wanted to do some real flying."

"You'll get plenty of that here, I assure you." Turning to Yanagida. "When do they start, captain?"

"We'll be having them doing charts and navigation starting tomorrow. They'll be supercargo on several flights starting within forty eight hours to help them get acquainted with procedure and the routes they'll be flying. For the most part it'll be filling time with study and practice until the end of the week. By that time the retrofitting of communications, interior alteration and repaint of their ship will be complete."

"Outstanding!"

Turning to a table opposite the aides' desk, the general continued.

"Some things to attend to but before I go ... I'm a bit curious," pointing to the objects lying thereon. "We, of course, had your ship thoroughly searched. Anything not on the manifest has been moved to your new quarters. We did however have these set aside until such time as we could ascertain your position here ... We know you Americans love your firearms ... Interesting selection you have here."

Two gun belts lay on the table. The large revolvers were a Smith and Wesson model 629 and a Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk, both in .44 magnum, 7 1/2" barrels, stainless. The rifle, a Ruger Number One, single shot in .458 Remington magnum.

"The critters get pretty big in Alaska. Bear are quite common and even moose get playful."

"Yeah," added Jack with a laugh. "Couple months ago a moose charged the ship as we were coming in at a remote strip. Had to circle twice before it left. Must've thought he owned the runway."

"The ... critters ... as you call them ... Get pretty big here too," warned Hazama.

"Every so often a wyvern makes a grab at someone here on base. No one's been snatched yet but keep on your toes.

"And with that," the general concluded, "I leave you to Mr. Yanagida here."

An exchange of salute with Yanagida, the senior officer took his leave.

"These are to stay on your aircraft at all times," the captain pointing to the tables' contents, "until such time you qualify with them on the range."

"Which should be in about ... , " Yanagida matched his watch with the wall calendar, " ... seventy two hours.

"Now let's settle with the paperwork and particulars."

To be continued. Concluding chapter: Clear Skies Ahead.

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-19-2016

xxxxx

Notes:

1\. Chickens Shoals is in reference to the disappearance of Flight 19 (Consisting of 5 Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo planes.) and a seaplane (A Martin Mariner PBM5.) on 12/5/45 in the Bermuda Triangle(Aka, the Devils' Triangle.) This is a region of the Atlantic Ocean where a number of ships and aircraft have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

The pilots of Flight 19 may have become disoriented (Instruments were malfunctioning.) and flying "aimlessly" until their planes ran out of fuel.

2\. While English is not necessarily a requirement for international air traffic controllers, it is commonly used.

3\. Below 500 (By Kevin Carey.) is a monthly column in the radio hobbyist magazine Monitoring Times. The column covers "long wave" radio listening information for the enthusiast interested in monitoring signals below 500 kilohertz, mainly automated aero-beacons that repeatedly transmit their call signs in slow morse code. Example: HEH (524 khz), Newark-Heath Airport in Ohio transmits ... . ... (4 dots, 1 dot, 4 dots.) over and over. Another would be Ohio State Universitys' Don Scott Fields' OS (515 khz) - ... (3 dashes, 3 dots.).

4\. Rod Serling (1924-1975) was the host of The Twilight Zone, a half hour mystery/sci-fi/supernatural TV anthology lasting five seasons, 1959-64.

5\. "Spooky" was the first of several converted C-47s used for ground support fire in certain situations. Mounted three 7.62 mm "mini-guns" (Rotary or "gatling".) out two windows and the cargo door. Would "orbit" around target area and be used for suppressive fire.

6\. "Fifty mission crush" refers to the sides of a flight officers' peaked cap being "crushed" downward from the continual wearing of radio headphones while on mission. The "crush" eventually takes on a permanent set to the hat after so many missions, hence "fifty mission crush".

7\. "Ruby slippers" and "no place like home" are two references to the film, The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939) starring Judy Garland and Frank Morgan.

xxxxx

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places and events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.


	2. Chapter 2

Any Highway In the Sky

by

C V Ford

xxxxx

Chapter 2: Clear Skies Ahead

Time: Three hours later.

Place: Main hallway of administration.

Wending their way to the main entrance the two made quite a sight. Stares from staff and local workers and in return on the more interesting looking ones, followed the two Americans. Clad in leather "bomber" jackets (Buffalo Airfreight Co. logo on the back.), khakis and flight boots. Gun belts draped over shoulders, Hobbes carrying the large rifle in the crook of his arm, Jack with a small stack of manuals.

"Unbe-stinkin'-lievable!" Cal cursed.

"Yeah?"

"I still can't believe the old bastard sold us out the way he did."

"C'mon Cal," Jack returned, "you more than anybody else knows how old man Hobart operates. He knows a good deal when he sees one."

"Good for him that is. Probably figured they were going to impound the plane indefinitely anyway and decided to cut losses-"

"Yeah ... And cut with us."

"-and the Defense Force, wanting to keep on the good side of public relations, made an offer to buy."

With mischievous grin, Hobbes switched to a new tack.

"Y'know Jack ... This IS all your fault."

"Say what!?"

"Those damn comic books and cartoons you watch."

"Uh ... Cal? They're called manga and anime."

"Mango's a fruit and sometimes I think you are too. I swear-"

"What's this got to do with anything and why's it my fault?"

By the look on Cals' face, Jack could see the older one was only semi-serious and it was one of the many ways the senior pilot had of needling him.

"You wished for this ... didn't you?"

"Wished?"

"Yeah ... Ever since the story broke on the news over a year ago. The Ginza incident ... Discovery of a whole new world next door ... And it turning out to be an anime fans' total wet dream!"

"Now waita'-"

"I remember you saying how 'kool' it'd be to go there ... take a look around ... Hoping your mom 'n dad might wheedle a way in for ya' ... Maybe even work ... live there ... HERE!"

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing! ... Then your lamenting Japan having pretty much a monopoly on the say on who could go or stay ... Then pretty much giving up on the idea."

"I could still dream."

"That's all well and good Jack. Dreams are what keep a lot of no-hopers 'n losers like you going-"

"Now just a-"

"-A wish is a wish ... and sometimes one even comes true ... Not often but ... when they do-"

"Get to the point Cal!" Nakamura could only play Hobbes' game so far and he could see the snarky grin on his seniors' face indicating the elders' enjoyment.

"What I'm getting at Jack," a painfully long pause, "is ... well ... Did you have to include ME in your wish? Did you really have to bring me along on your little journey to Oz?"

The younger turned to Hobbes.

"Yeah ... I did have a dream or two about it but ... Believe me Cal ... You WEREN'T in 'em!"

"All the same ... I'm stuck with you on this little trip down the Yellow Brick Road."

"Follow on Toto!" (1)

"Now just you wait a-"

xxxxx

"Are they the ones, dad?" Tuka asked on seeing the two exit Admin.

"Sure are. Let's go Takeo!"

xxxxx

Out the door and at the fence surrounding admin, the two newcomers scanned the semi-crowded expanse before them.

"Could make a run for it," suggested Jack jokingly on espying the Gate's domed enclosure.

"Yeah, right." Hobbes retorted. "They'd be on us in seconds. We don't know how long a walk it'd be in there anyway and we'd stick out like a hand full of sore thumbs once we stepped out on Ginza. That and the fact we didn't land here with visas so we wouldn't be able to get out of the country."

"How about hiding out at the embassy or even Yokota?"

"Nah! We already created enough of an international incident as it is. Your parents might wanta' throw you back anyway ... I know I would. Aside from retirement bennies, the Air Force is pretty much done with me. No, they'd have to let us go ... These contracts being ironclad and all ...

"Of course," continued Cal with a wink, "we could hole up at your old girlfriends' place until we figured something out ... What was her name?"

"Matsuri and I haven't seen each other in years. We broke up after all."

"Why was that?"

"She wanted me to stay and I wanted to take her back to the States ... Wasn't gonna' work out. Her parents weren't happy with that idea either."

"I remember you telling me her parents looked a bit askance of you."

"That was before they met me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She was something of a practical joker. Only phoned that she was bringing an American home to meet them and mentioned just my first name. They about had a fit until they got a look at me and heard my last name." (2)

"Sounds like something out of one of those uh ... What is it? ... yeah ... hentai that you watch-"

"Now hold on just a- ... I don't-"

"Looks like you two could use a lift!"

The two broke out of their non-argument on the greeting from the humvee pulling up beside them.

"You must be Itami and 3rd recon," stated Hobbes shaking the hand on the arm extended from the cab. "You were part of the 'goodwill committee' at the airfield."

Jack noticed Cals' eyes light up on his scanning past the two in front into the vehicles interior.

_Uh oh,_ Jack surmised to himself, not being able to see past Cal. _What's he up to?_

"That we were," Youji replied. "Here to pick you up. Hop in!"

Before Jack could get any kind of a look into the hummer, Cal grabbed him by the arm and hustled him to the vehicles' rear, keeping him off to the side, doors halfway open obscuring the co-pilots' view inside.

Quickly levering open the rifles' breach, Cal handed the gun butt first to an unseen recipient.

"Careful with that hon," he warned then turned to Jack.

"What are you-"

"Here ... Lemme' take those," the senior said, grabbing the manuals from Jack.

Spinning back around, Cal handed the books in. Judging from the angle, Jack surmised they were to a different recipient.

"Here ya' go, hon."

_Hon? Must be women back there_, thought Jack.

Stepping up, Cal first, the two piled in past some boxes and proceeded to sit. Jack was brought up short on seeing his up til then unseen bench mate to be.

Already seated, Cal took the rifle back from a semi-amazed elf girl and took in the spectacle seated across from them.

_Omigod! ... It's ... the scary babe/the hunk!_

Jack hesitantly sat next to Kuribayashi.

_I'm/he's sitting right next to her/me!_

Introductions and handshakes all around with Jack receiving the manuals from Shino, their hands touching.

_She/he shook my hand ... touched me!_

"I take it there's more than just four of you," speculated Cal.

_Damn boxes crowding us in ... So close ... Almost touching ... I can feel her/his body heat!_

"One's down at the plane," Itami explained. "You'll meet most of the rest later tonight."

_OHMIGOD! OHMIGOD! OHMIGOD!_

The vehicle pulled away from Admin and proceeded on the journey to the airstrip.

"So," Takeo continuing the conversation, "you're the new civvy contractors ..."

"We like to think of ourselves as mercenary pilots," Cal smiling, not just at his remark. He was really enjoying the discomfort of the two across.

"Yeah," adding a nervous Jack, "answerable to no one yet everyone."

"And we get to eat at the senior officers' mess!"

Looking inquisitively at both Tuka and Itami, Hobbes, in continuing the conversation then asked of Tuka, "I understand some of your team were at that hearing the Diet had awhile back."

"Um ... ," the elf girl paused, "If you mean when we visited Japan government that one time, yes ... we were."

"It was all over the news. I liked the way that little demoness put that political hack in her place."

"Demon ... ess? I am not sure she would-"

_You could sorta'/kinda' say that, _Itami thought while shuddering inwardly. If he hadn't intervened, Rory would have put that politico in more than just her place and turned the session into a slaughter for all the world to see!

"Didn't think you'd ever end up HERE, did ya'?" Takeo feeling his captains' slight uneasiness.

"The thought never occurred to me," the older man replied then indicated to Jack. "This is the guy who dreamed about going to Miyazakis' Middle Earth!"

"Miyazaki?" Both the Captain and Takeo brightened up. "You into anime?"

"Good Lord, no!" Hobbes declared then pointed to Jack. "This guy's the uh ... ah-nee-may cartoons fan, not me."

_NO! ... Not ... another otaku! ... There is no God{s}. DAMNIT!_

"Car ... toons?" Takeo puzzled at the strange word.

"It's what we call non-Japanese anime. It's all cartoons to him," explained Jack. "I'm really not a fan of anime as much as I'm a fan of the anime I like. Not that deep into it."

_Not that deep into-? ... Is there hope? Maybe there's a God{s} after all!_

"Like hell! You've got ... what? About fifty ... sixty shows on disc?"

"That's not much."

"Oh come on!"

"No, he's right." Itami

"We've got literally piles of it." Takeo beamed.

_Yeah ... Piles! ... Sketchy otakus!_

"Right now I'm more interested in these manuals and getting started," said Jack.

_Getting down to business. ... Yes! ... Is it possible? ... Please God{s} ... I'll never ask anything else of you as long as I live!_

"You said Miyazaki," a puzzled Itami turned back to Hobbes.

"At his suggestion," Hobbes again indicating Jack, "I got a couple of that guys' cartoon movies as Christmas presents for my grand nieces. They absolutely LOVE that krap!"

"KRAP!?" Itami

"Cals' idea of a great film is it has to be live action, black and white and at least half the cast is dead."

"Don't knock the classics, kid."

"I like ... Miyazakis' movies."

Jack turned toward the source of the last statement.

"So do I," replying as he gazed down into the liquid brown eyes.

"Watched them a lot when I was little," gazing up into his.

"I still do every now ... and then."

"Maybe ... uh ... "

"Kuribayashi-sans' problem," a grinning Takeo breaking the long pause between the two, "is she talks too much!"

_Sargeant ... before this day is out ... I ... AM ... GOING ... TO ... KILL ... YOU!_

xxxxx

Time: 1030

Location: Fort Alnus Hill Airfield

"Well they sure as HELL didn't waste any time!"

Fists on hips, standing with the group by the Hummer, Hobbes surveyed the scene before.

Berthed several spaces away from the end of a line of C-130s, the Moon Mistress stood. Two maintenance vehicles close by. All doors open with every so often one of several technicians enter or exiting between. Two of which, a male sargeant and a female officer now approached the group.

"And who might YOU be?" Hobbes demanded, bringing them up short.

The two saluted and bowed, introing enthusiastically.

"Lieutenant Yoko Hisaishi, navigator/communications!"

"Sargeant Taru Kurosawa, cargo handler/communications!"

As in the briefings, two new crew members bringing up to the standard military complement.

_Figures the brass wasn't going to just let two foreigners fly all over the special region all on their lonesome ..._

"Okay, listen up-"

"Hai! Hobbes-san, SIR!"

"First up ... None 'a that saluting business. In spite of circumstances, neither I nor Mr. Nakamura here are in the military and besides, it attracts snipers. Last I checked, this is still a war zone.

"No bowing either, I'm not the freakin' pope! You will either address me as Cal or sir depending on my mood and Mr. Nakamura here as whatever I might be calling him at the moment-"

"Thanks a LOT Cal!"

Ignoring Jack, Hobbes continued, first a thumb at himself,

"All the same," scanning the plane, "I'm the ramrod of this little outfit and BOTH of you," then an index at the two, "have some explaining to do."

"Explaining?" Kurosawa

"Do you mean the modifications being done with the aircraft?" Hisaishi

"Is that what you call the mandated damage I'm dreading to survey?"

"Damage!?" both

"Don't worry you two," Jack chimed in. "Once you get past Cals' rough exterior, you'll find that within beats a heart of pure lead and that he really IS an absolute horror to work with."

"Laugh it up Chuckles ... We got a short time to get things squared away," retorted Hobbes.

Doing another quick once-over of the scene, he continued.

"Take the lieutenant here and check out the cockpit and commo. You-," pointing to Kurosawa, "-and I are gonna' give the cargo bay a look-see. If things are going as I suspect ..."

The two pairs proceeding toward the plane, Shino reflexively starting to follow Jack.

"Kuribayashi-san." Captain Itami softlly bringing her up short. "I don't think he needs guarding."

"Um ... Oh!" A blushing Shino stepping back.

"We are soldiers ... Let's be professional."

That, coming from the likes of Itami, doubly stung.

"Besides," Takeo chimed in accompanied by Tukas' unsuccessful attempt to suppress giggling, "I'm sure Lieutenant Hisaishi will take good care of him."

As the saying goes ... If looks could kill ...

xxxxx

Quick inspections finished, the two pilots met in the cargo bay.

"Mil spec racks 'n rigging along with fold down benches and new anchor cable installed for static line jumps," stated Hobbes as Nakamura entered. "As briefed, we may be doing para drops from time to time. We've done smoke jumpers before so no problem there."

"As Yanagida stated in briefings," Jack in reply, "except for the mil spec commo, they've pretty much left everything else alone in the cockpit. They figured we'd be better off with things as is for the time being. Wanting to get us up and flying for them as soon as possible. Of course the layout with the two later planes'll be different ...

"There's something 'y gotta see though."

"Yeah?" Cal sidling past.

"Get a load of who and what's inputting data in the nav station."

Going forward, Cal couldn't help but notice the large, blue flower crystal top of the staff leaning at the entrance to the navigators' station, Lieutenant Hisaishi partway in, holding a conversation with an unseen occupant.

"Everything's correct Lelei, just as the spec sheets state. You're doing great!"

"Excuse me lieutenant," pardoned Cal then peering in.

Peering back up from the laptop connected to the panels:

"Oh! You must be Hobbes-san," the blue haired/eyed adolescent speculated.

"Lieutenant?" The pilot nodded his head for the officer to step with him to the cargo bay.

In the bay and out of earshot, Hobbes inquired.

"There is a CHILD, and a local at that, not much older than my youngest grand daughter if I had any, inputting frequency and telemetry data into our commo and nav systems. Would you mind informing me as to what's up with that?"

"Lelena-san is a Master degreed mage and scholar-"

_Mage? _Hobbes queried inwardly. _Yes ... Gotta' keep in mind, reality here has some different aspects to it._

"-with several published theses and has been invaluable as an interpreter. She also has taken quite well to the use of electronics and data processing and is in training and working under our supervision for certification in various technologies."

"Hmm ... Come to think of it ... ," Hobbes recollected, "Was she the interpreter during the Diets' inquiry some months back?"

"Why yes ... She was."

With a nod back to the nav station, the two found the young one still gazing up at the entrance as if she hadn't changed pose, a look of concern on the small face.

"Is ... anything wrong?"

"Nothing wrong, hon. The lieutenant informs me you are more than qualified for the tasks at hand and I'm taking her word on it. Capiche'?"

"Ca-peesh?"

"Uh ... Tu capisci?"

"Um ... Ah si! Io capeeshki. I understand." The girl turned back to the laptop and resumed work.

Hobbes stepped to the cockpit and gave it a quick once over. As Jack informed, except for what few additional components, the panels, controls and instrumentation were, thankfully to him, left unaltered.

Waiting in the bay with Nakamura and Kurosawa, Hisaishi inquired.

"You know their language?"

"Not really," Cal began. "From the newscasts and reading about it, the culture being mainly predominate of ancient/medieval, Italo-Roman and Latin the language would have to be as well. This bears out the theories that the gate or gates opened periodically in our and other worlds from time to time letting in various cultures from other places.

"In the case of the Empire, Mediterranean peoples migrated here bringing everything that went with them including their languages. Hearing some of the locals talking among themselves in admin pretty much confirmed that for me.

"The pronunciation's a bit different and words from a lot of other languages, some not from our world, are mixed in making it really interesting.

"Having taken Latin in seminary back in the day, certainly helped."

"Seminary? ... You were going to be a priest ... a holy man?"

"Yeah," laughed Jack. "Cal's anything but!"

With a snort Hobbes announced, "let's step out and do a 'walk around'. I wanna' check over the underside."

A goodly scan revealed only scratches.

"We lifted the deck plates before installing the racks and benches. Maintenance gave it a good looking over and found no structural damage," explained Kurosawa. "Some leaves were found caught in the riveting."

"Damn close!" Jack exclaimed. "Only brushed the trees."

"Actually the leaves came from a species of low lying shrub similar to the stuff growing beyond the perimeter fence."

Taru pointed toward the fence. Beyond were the aforementioned shrubbery.

"Shoot!" Cal hissed. "Another few inches we'd have had it!"

"Too ... DAMN ... close," declared Jack.

"Alerts were put out during your interrogations," said Yoko. "They stated the possibility of that anomaly that brought you here may be intelligent. Is that possible you think?"

"If there's any intelligence behind it," the older pilot in answer, "It's hostile. Damn thing almost had us do a perfect one point landing into the side of a mountain!"

During the conversation, Jack noticed a new presence having detached herself from Itamis' group and making herself feeling un(?)comfortably close. Feigning mutual interest in the non-damage on the fuselage.

_Not too close ... don't want to look obvious._

_This kid is SO ... obvious!_

Both noted one another in their respective peripheral vision, blushed and abruptly turned away on the corners of their eyes meeting.

"No other damage to be found on inspection," Taru stated, "maintenance proceeded with retrofitting the required alterations."

"And with that," Cal concluded with a slight grin, "let's see what Sargeant Kuribayashis' team is up to."

The color on Shinos' face deepened even more as they joined the three standing at the aircrafts' nose.

"Hope you don't mind," said Itami holding up his phone. "Re-paint's about to start and we thought we'd best have a record of what the plane used to look like before they begin."

"Yeah," Cal sighed on recalling an earlier examination of the proposed paint scheme. "They're turning my gooneybird into a tabby." (3)

"I find your nose art interesting," mentioned Takeo pointing up at the depiction under the left windshield.

Shino re-sniffed her disdain.

"He's-," Hobbes pointed a thumb back at Jack in mock derision, "-the artistic one. I liked it until I found it was a character from one of his favorite shows."

"I wouldn't say my favorite. Great character design but the show itself is AWFUL!"

"I know what you mean," replied Youji. "Same plot every episode, only the villains and victims change."

"Now if they could get character designs like that and put 'em with plots like Puella Magi Madoka Magika," Takeo speculated, "they'd have a GREAT show!"

"Never thought of that!" Exclaimed the captain. "That'd really make one hell of a magical girl anime."

"Yeah! Madoka already has a killer Evangelion-like plot to it and-"

"Unbelievable!"

The two otakus looked questioningly at Hobbes as Shino continued her silent scorn.

"Just what IS it with you guys?"

"What do mean?" Itami puzzled.

"I mean ... Geez!" Hobbes momentarily searching for words. "Here you guys are ... In the most fantastic place imaginable ... A parallel wonder world complete with all the phantasmagorical trappings that come with it ... Things and places that up to now, were the stuff of pure fantasy that you could only read and dream about ..."

Sighing, Cal rolled his eyes and continued.

"I mean ... THINK ABOUT IT! ... Wizards, warriors ... castles ... uh ... Dungeons 'n Dragons © ... elves 'n animal people ... The whole fantasy/cartoon stuff of what dreams and nightmares are made of. It's real! ... And you're right in the middle of it literally living the dream.

"And yet ... You're still so gung-ho about those silly little movie and TV show fantasies you watch."

"Uh ... What's your point?"

_Good God! They just don't get it._

"My point is ... You don't need that stuff anymore ... You're IN it already!

"We even- ... Uh ... Jack?" Cal paused a moment then pointed to the planes' nose art, " ... What's the name of that show?"

"Sailor Moon."

"Yeah ... Sailor Moon ... We even have 'Sailor Moon' in the plane back there programming data into our nav and communication systems for cryin' out loud!"

"I never thought of Lelei as Sailor Moon," Youji in reply.

"She's more like Ami Mizuno to me," speculated Takeo.

"Now who the heck is Amy Mizuno?"

"That's Sailor Mercurys' secret identity."

"Sailor ... Mercury?" Cal with cocked eyebrow and semi-serious sneer. "I suppose there's also a ... what? ... A Sailor Venus and a Sailor Mars?"

"Actually," put in Jack, "... yes."

"Right!" Cal turned to Jack. "Next thing you're gonna' tell me is there's a Sailor Ur-anus, huh? Think of all the fun that could be had with a moniker like that! Why you'd-"

Noting the new stillness about, Hobbes turned and gave all the faces around the once over.

With the exception of a puzzled elf girl scanning one and all with him and Shino muttering something about "otakus being otakus", the rest looked at Hobbes with an odd mixture of smug puzzlement and upturned eyebrows.

"Uh ... Cal?"

"You're kidding me ... Right?"

xxxxx

"Gotta' hand it to 'em," said Cal as he examined the contents of the case before him. "When they said anything else not on the manifest was brought to our quarters, not a thing was left out ... or missing."

Lifting a bottle out of the case, the pilot examined.

"Gonna' have to drop a couple of these off at Hazamas' office when he's not there. Maybe one for Yanagida as well."

"Why's that?"

Taking a couple hours off for rest, the two repaired to their on-base quarters consisting of two rooms with an adjoining bathroom. Restless, Nakamura decided to look in on an also restless Hobbes taking inventory of what possessions he inadvertently taken along to the Special Region. One of which was a case of Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey they had picked up just a couple days before in Seattle.

"The 'Golden Handshake'."

"The what?"

"The old Asian way of doing business ... goes double for Japan."

"Oh?"

"We may need to ask a favor or ten somewhere down the road," explained Hobbes. "It's best then to give a complementary gift well ahead of time. If ever the need arises, the general will remember it.

"So you couldn't get any shut-eye either, eh?"

"Finding ourselves dumped in Other-World Disney with a new employer and all the stuff to come ...yeah ... that and-"

"And what?"

"Well, we're about to meet the rest of Itamis' recon team at that off base tavern and-"

"Wait! That reminds me." Cals' eyes lit up as he searched through his duffel finding and holding up what he needed.

"What's with the hip flask?"

"I understand it's only a beer joint," the senior pilot answered as he filled the aforementioned container from a now uncapped bottle of whiskey. "Itami told me the draft on tap is great but I think I might need something with a little more punch.

"You were saying?"

"Might as well cut to the chase. It's about Sergeant Kuribayashi."

"Oh?" Cal grinned.

"With what little time we've had here so far, I've been asking around. You know ... at breaks during briefings ... Itami and Takeo mentioning something when we were with them ... "

"What'd you find out?"

"Well ... First off, you pick up on anything about her maybe?"

"That petite, well endowed, shy yet magnificently ripped, very capable and frightening looking young lady who has been more than just undressing you with her eyes since the moment we arrived?

"Not a thing ... ," smiled Cal.

Jack let out an exasperated sigh.

"She likes you."

"Not sure I'd like her."

"Why the hell not?"

"There's rumors about her, Cal. Nasty ones."

"What kind of nasty? Good, you hope."

"She's really aggressive ... Pretty much into the martial arts ... Likes to mix it up ... Been in actual hand to hand combat ... taken a few lives ... Face to face-"

"Hey ... That's what soldiers do, right?" Cal stated more than questioned. "Y'know ... Killing people and breaking things.

"Did a little of that myself."

"And not only likes ... LOVES it!

"There's a story going 'round she even beat the living s-t out of someone over twice her size during a prisoner exchange or something ... Someone high up in one of the Empires' royal families ... And got AWAY with it!"

"I wouldn't believe rumors, Jack. More than likely over half of it's utter bullkrap."

"You don't understand Cal-"

"Understand what?" Still smiling.

"Even if only a fraction about her is true ... I mean ... The way she was acting this afternoon-"

"Think she's stalking you?"

"Cal ... She looked uh ... hungry? ... like she wants to eat me alive!"

"I could think of worse ways to check out."

"Oh come on!"

"I think you'll survive though ... You have almost as much muscle on you as she does."

"You're no help, Cal!"

"Hey ... I do what I can."

"Speaking of which ... Don't think I didn't notice the way you set me up earlier today."

"Whatever could you be talking about?" Cal asked in exaggeratingly feigned innocence.

"You know. Right after we left admin and met up with Itamis' recon team."

"You'll thank me later."

"Hnnngh!"

xxxxx

At Cals' insistence, the two pilots and their additional crewmen, instead of driving into the refugee camp, walked in instead. He felt it would give them a better view of things and a "feel" for the place in familiarization.

The "refugee camp" just outside Fort Alnus was that in name only. In a matter of months, from a few tents, it had sprung up into a full fledged town and trading hub complete with full structured buildings in the local "European" renaissance/medieval style. Shops, taverns, stores, inns, smithys, stables and more!

And the people! Cal noted that the newscasts, National Geo, documentaries, and other media did little justice. While most of the people were of seemingly "European" with some "Asians" scattered about, the demi-humans were real eye openers.

It was like something out of Tolkien with even a bit of Lovecraft thrown in!

While most, elves, "animal" people, dwarves etc., looked reasonably human, others well ... Cal felt Lon Chaney Jr. didn't have a thing over on them. (4) The occasional "Tinkerbelle"-like fairy would bring him up short and the odd goblin really stood out.

"If things keep going as they might," he thought, "the demographics of Japan, not to mention the rest of our own world might be affected to some degree."

The tavern, crowded as usual, a large room was reserved ahead of time for 3rd Recon and a few from the other scout teams for the four newcomers' "orientation party".

About an hour into the occasion ...

Cal scanned the gathering before him. Along with the initial five he and Jack met earlier in the day were the rest and then some.

The senior non-com, Souichirou Kuwahara was a man Cal could identify with.

The older sergeant, now in his fifties, was in the pilots' age group and of the type that made up the backbone of the NCO corp of any military organization. A man Hobbes' hoped Itami depended on for direction and advice.

The hulking Tomita also another stabilizing element for the group.

Medic Mari Kurokawa, close friend of Tuka, was reputed to be more than dependable as a caregiver.

The two other "locals" of course were eye openers.

A dour dark elf, Yao Ro Dushi seemed to offset Tukas' more vibrant and naive personality quite well. Inquiries of her past by the two flyers confirmed as to the why of her more formal disposition.

As for Rory Mercury ...

"So desuka ... demonessu, on neh?" The gothed one smiling at him from across the table.

Cals' reference to her from earlier in the day seemed to have gotten back to her.

Then in perfect English, "I personally know a few ... I could introduce you perhaps?"

"Uh ... sorry," Cal trying to be polite and humorous at the same time, "but I'm a bit wary of succubi." (5)

"Ah! I know someone perfect for you then. She was very good at that when she noviced. In fact ... she EXCELLED!"

"Oh?" That made Hobbes eyebrows raise.

Snuggying up to a nervous Itami, the diminutive demi-goddess continued her appraisal.

"What do you think Youji-CHAN? ... Giselle maybe?"

Itamis' less than enthused reaction along with the faux coughing and rolling of eyes from everyone else at the table prompted Cal to wryly yet cautiously inquire.

"Hmmm ... Sounds French. So ... Who's Giselle?"

"Uh ... ," hesitantly Youji with nervous smile in reply, "you really ... DON'T ... want to know."

Nods, "oh yeahs", more eye rolling and tongue in cheek from those present all around confirmed Rorys' joke, she smiling at the effect on one and all.

"Maybe I'll just pass on the invite."

"A very wise choice," stated Lelei, nursing a non-alcoholic beverage.

To Hobbes, Rory was going to take some getting used to. He had to keep telling himself in spite of her looking like a thirteen year old that she was almost a millenias' age. The sight of an ostensible adolescent cozying up to someone seemingly almost three times her age and drinking everyone under the table, he was finding a bit un-nerving.

Itami could only nervously smile and shrug.

Shrugging back, Cal continued scanning the gathering.

"-so when we were told of the opportunity to get a jump on the rest of the handlers and navs in the program, we jumped at it."

Hisaishi was explaining Kurosawas' and her presence in the Special Region to Mari, Yao and the rest

"One day we're at Komaki, training in the Intermediate Transport Program," an also enthused Kurosawa, "the next ... HERE!"

Cals' eyes settled on the nervous couple next. Jack conversing with a very interested Shino sitting across from him and noting the now direct and more than congenial communication between the two. Kuribayashi didn't seem so anxious though "targeting" still as intense as before. Nakamura seemed a bit more relaxed.

"And you decided on airline training ... Just like THAT?"

"I always loved flying. Got my lessons and license and flew small private planes while in high school and college. Mom and dad wanted me to follow in their footsteps of public service but they saw it coming."

"I guess I'll never understand how Americans get so independent of their parents," the sergeant marveled.

"Pretty funny coming from someone so enthused about a military career," Nakamura smiling.

"Heh-," with a friendly scoff from a smiling young lady in kind.

With a check on his watch, Hobbes got up to leave and leaned over.

"I mean with all the-"

A hand on his left shoulder, Jack looked up in to the face of the elder pilot.

"Keep in mind Romeo," informed Cal, "we gotta be up early tomorrow."

Off to the side, Jack noticed Shino looking off to the right. An eyebrow raised, crooked smile on her face with some amused surprise thrown in.

As his immediate superior straightened up and turned, Jack tried a quick look at his beer.

"Hey! What the- !"

"SSHHHHH! ... Be vewy, vewy quiet!-" Cal leaned over again and cutting him off.

Cal was eyeing one of the tavern girls. A recently employed member of the bunny clan.

"-I'm hunting wabbits! Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh ..." (6)

Hobbes strode off ostensibly to converse with the tavern girl.

_Did he?_

Jack noted the now darker coloration of his beer and its higher level in the mug.

_He did!_

Sighing, Jack took a long pull from the mug.

Looking up slightly, he saw a more than happy Shino mouthing a "thank you" after the departing pilot now giving a thumbs up and pocketing a hip flask.

_Come to think of it ... I don't think I saw him take that flask out tonight until now!_

Nakamura could only shake his head.

"Wab-bits?" Puzzled Shino. "What does THAT mean? And what's with the weird laugh?"

"That'll take some explaining." (6)

She again glanced past Jack at the older pilot, now in friendly conversation with the bunny girl waitress.

"And," back at Jack, "how ... did you two ever ... Meet?"

Shino couldn't think of a more unlikely pair of friends.

Neither could Jack.

xxxxx

"Hey ... Chink!"

Chink?

Taking a draw from his mug, Jack set the mug down on the bar and turned.

_For a bunch of "rednecks",_ Jack in speculation, _this certainly is an eclectic group._

Three of them. White, black and one who appeared, interestingly enough, to be one of the indigenous of Alaska and about as "chink" looking as he.

"I take it you're ... talking to me?" Refraining from totally going into an Al Pacino moment though subtly slipping into fighting stance.

Though athletic and proficient in Shotokan karate, Jack was confident enough to distract/stall two adversaries and run like hell ... but three? That would take some doing.

"That we are ... chink." The white guy talking and edging up to him.

Having completed his moving into his quarters near Anchorage International he was anxious to meet the one he would be working with. Informed of the whereabouts of the pilots' favorite watering hole at a certain hour, Nakamura repaired to Earls' Bar and Grille and waited.

Now ...

"Y'see ... Charley Chan," belligerent one getting creative, "yer at our place at the bar an'-"

Jack noticed someone getting up from a corner table about to join the first three.

_Terrific! _The young man lamenting inwardly. _Four of 'em now! NO way I'm gonna' get outta' this._

"-we don't like people takin' up our place at th' bar."

"So's it looks like you gonna' be buyin' us some drinks." The black guy this time.

"Lotsa' drinks." Mr. Indigenous.

"Hey guys!"

The fourth one stepped up between Jack and the other three.

"Now ... Hold on a second."

"Wait ... what?" White guy.

"The guy's new here ... and besides."

"Besides what?"

Both white and newcomer facing one another.

"Besides what?" Newcomer questioning the question. "I mean ..."

Stepping off to the side just a little, the stranger gestured toward Jack.

"I mean ... Just look at him."

"Huh?"

"Can't you see?"

"See what?" The white guy getting a bit hotter.

"He's not a chink. Take a better look."

"Uh-"

"Can't you see he's a jap? There IS a difference y' know-"

KA-WHOP!

Gunshot sound of right uppercut connecting with the fools' jaw, resounded off tavern walls and 'syndromed' back on one and all.

"You CAN tell if you try."

The sight of the now prostrate belligerent froze the other two would-be bangers.

"If you're gonna' be racist," the older man moved in closer to the two gazing at their fallen leader, "at least be smart about it and get your pejoratives straight.

"And from the looks of you two, the Movement's got some purging to do."

He then changed the subject.

"Odds are now one to one. Definitely NOT ... in your favor. I suggest you leave.

"Think about it ... You're not THAT drunk yet."

Without any further prompting the two now not so belligerents picked their prostrate comrade off the floor. Fallen ones' arms over shoulders they promptly left, staggering with their semi-limp load out the front.

"You can put the bat away, Earl," the savior said massaging his right hand. "Sorry 'bout the mess."

Jack then noted the barkeep going back behind the bar and sliding a substantial looking Louisville Slugger back under.

"Was about to 'ask' 'em to leave, Cal. You just saved me the trouble."

"And with that ... ," the man stepped over to his once occupied table sweeping up the 'fifty mission crush' and placing it on his head. He continued massaging his fist. "So are we. These old knuckles are only good for one good hit per day."

Before the man turned to Jack, he then noticed the winged buffalo logo on the back of the leather jacket.

"Cal? ... Calvin ... Then you're?"

"Yeah ... I'm Hobbes. Let's go."

xxxxx

"Here they come!" Tuka shouted.

"On the nose," noted Souichiro gazing in the direction where the throaty sound of the twin Pratt and Whitneys came from.

"Jack?" Shino looking up hopefully.

"He's sure to be up there too," snickered Takeo.

Shino pointedly ignored him.

They had been over a week out, giving a good recon of a sector in the Tanska region. At the rendezvous point they didn't have to wait long.

One by one, at low altitude, the three payloads chuted down to the eagerly awaiting team.

"Why wouldn't they land?" Youji questioned. "They said Rory would be with us for the rest of the mission at this point and-"

"And after we prepped this part of the road too!" Lamented Takeo.

All noticed the plane in the distance turn and drop altitude.

"Well that makes no sense," said Mari. "Why would they para drop and then land-"

"They're not going to land." Lelei stated matter of fact.

About a hundred feet up, the C-47 almost in a stall.

"You don't think-" Youji

"Think what-" Yao

"Too low for a chute! She's-" Tomita

"She wouldn't!" Mari

"She will." Lelei

"She IS!" Shino

"Wait ... what?" Tuka

"EEEEEEYAAAAAAA! HA! HA! HA! HAAAA!"

The bloodthirstily triumphant, high pitched, joyful scream from the small halberd carrying figure leaping from the cargo bay, hit one and all. Quick acceleration of the planes' engines punctuated the cry.

The group could only stare beyond dumbfounded at the now exuberantly, insanely laughing sight of the demi-goddess seemingly plunging to her death only a moment away.

The excruciatingly loud WHUMP! and geysering dust cloud marking where she landed.

"Nothing could survive that! She's-" Mari

More dust but in a trail kicked up by fantastically moving platform boot clad feet.

Stopping in front of an aghast Itami, Rorys' smiling, giggling face mere inches from his.

"Miss me?"

xxxxx

Nakamura, wide eyed, exhaustively slumped into his co-pilots' chair.

"Just got word," a grinning Hobbes informed, moving a phone off an ear. "Fourth package intact."

"She- , " a gasping Jack, "she-

"Yeah?"

"She- "

"Spit it out, kid." Cal still grinning.

"She jumped! ... She actually ... JUMPED! ... Without a chute!"

"Just like she said she would, eh?"

"And she's ... Okay?"

"Not even fallen arches."

"I didn't think she'd do it!" Jack still in dazed amazement. "I almost grabbed her ... Couldn't get to her in time."

A pause of silence, Nakamura calmed a bit.

"Cal? ... I know we've been here over a month now but ... "

"But what?"

"Just what the HELL you and I've been dropped into?"

"Shoot! ... THIS ... coming from the guy who wanted to come here!"

Letting out a laugh, Cal added:

"Welcome to the Special Region, kid."

Thus ... The flyin' fools flew there.

END

... for now anyway. Subject to possible later installments. Am open to ideas (hint, hint).

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-19-2016

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1\. "Yellow brick road" is a reference to the main road in the film (And related series of books by L. Frank Baum), The Wizard of Oz. (MGM, 1939.) Toto (Terry) was Dorothys' (Judy Garland) dog who accompanies her on the journey to find the wizard and persuade him to help get her back home.

Be sure to check out my Haibane Renmei anime crossover fanfic, Somewhere Over the Wall.

2\. Be sure to chec out my Lucky Star fanfic, My Gaijin American Boyfriend.

3\. Tabby was the Allied codename designation for the Japanese copy of the C-47, the Showa and Nakajima made L2D.

4\. Lon Chaney Jr. was and actor best known for the title role in the film, The Wolf Man (Universal, 1941.). He reprised the role in several other films and was also noted for playing several other monsters for Universal Pictures in that period.

5\. Succubus - A female demon that appears in dreams in order to seduce men.'

6\. Elmer Fudd (Voiced by Arthur Q. Bryan and later Hal Smith and Mel Blanc.) was a character prominent in many Warner Brothers theatrical cartoons. Most noted for his speech impediment, stuttery laugh and lack of success in hunting down Bugs Bunny.

"Ahm gonna' get dat scwewy wabbit!"

xxxxx

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the copyrighted names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.


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